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Alpenfest 2025
Starts: 07/08/2025 - Ends: 07/12/2025
Come to Gaylord for one of their biggest weekends of the year! Ever heard of "The Burning of the Boog?" There will be traditions, music, and food you have never heard of before as downtown Gaylord puts on an Alpine-inspired celebration that honors the city's heritage and partnership with sister city, Pontresina, Switzerland. The entertainment is top-notch and includes Rolling Stones and Katy Perry tribute bands, 80's rock, classic rock, country, polka and German music, and to further honor the theme, a 14-piece Bavarian style band. There will also be two parades (a walking parade and a grand parade), carnival rides, Queen and Princess pageants, a car show, a craft show, food vendors...do I need to say more? Oh, there is more! If you like to run or walk, sign up for the half marathon, 10k, 5.9k or 1-mile fun run. Grab your lederhosen (yes, you'll see those there too) and join in the fun!
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National Cherry Festival
Starts: 06/28/2025 - Ends: 07/05/2025
The National Cherry Festival offers over 130 events throughout the eight-day celebration, including all time favorites like air shows, Bay Side Entertainment, parades, daily kids events, the Festival of Races and, of course, Cherry Pie Eating and Pit Spitting competitions for every age.
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AuSable River Festival & Canoe Marathon
Starts: 07/20/2025 - Ends: 07/27/2025
Head to downtown Grayling the last full week of July as they celebrate the AuSable River Canoe Marathon and Festival! We have events for everyone - Street Eats, Crafts Show, Car Show, Kids Day, Main Stage and even our own HUP Race. The festival ends with the AuSable River Canoe Marathon, a grueling, non-stop 120 mile canoe race starting in Grayling and ending in Oscoda. This is an event you don't want to miss!
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Bigfoot Weekend
Starts: 08/01/2025 - Ends: 08/03/2025
Ever see a Bigfoot? Have a good time looking for one at our Bigfoot Weekend! More details to come in 2025!
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Western Weekend
Starts: 07/18/2025 - Ends: 07/20/2025
Lasso up those kids and join the wagon train headed toward the Gaylord KOA! We are planning a rootin' tootin' good time for y'all. We will be cooking over a campfire, going on a wagon trail ride of our own, and watching an outdoor movie under the stars. There will also be lasso ropin', tin-can shootin' (with water, of course), and pool noodle horse makin'. Spend a fun-filled weekend with us as we bring a Western vibe to Northern Michigan!
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Dog Days of Summer Weekend
Starts: 09/05/2025 - Ends: 09/07/2025
This weekend is all about catering to your DOGS. We are still building out our activities for the weekend, but we will definitely be having our 2nd Annual Dog Swim! Your pup will not want to miss it. More details to come in 2025!
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Carnival Weekend
Starts: 08/08/2025 - Ends: 08/10/2025
Smell the popcorn? Can't stop thinking about cotton candy? Ready to play some carnival games? Come to Carnival Weekend! More details to come in 2025!
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Star-Spangled Weekend!
Starts: 07/03/2025 - Ends: 07/06/2025
With July 4th being on a Thursday, that gives us a few extra days of FUN activities to do with you! We start the long weekend with a marshmallow roast, then go full steam in with a foam party, wagon rides, a pool party, tie-dye t-shirts, a bubble party, rock painting, games and more, We will also celebrate with food through the weekend, including a free continental breakfast, a weenie roast, an ice cream social, and s'mores!
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Pirate Weekend
Starts: 06/06/2025 - Ends: 06/08/2025
Ahoy matey! Batten down the hatches at home and steer your ship toward the Gaylord KOA for this Yo-ho-ho Happy weekend! Shiver me TIMBERS, we have a busy weekend planned for you. Bring a few doubleloons to tie-dye a t-shirt, mine for gold, or buy some grog at the Kampstore, but other than that the swimming pool, jumping pillow, mini-golf, playgrounds, banana bikes, cornhole, gaga pit, continental breakfast and Pirate Activities are FREE!
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Ren Faire Weekend
Starts: 08/15/2025 - Ends: 08/17/2025
We start the weekend at the Ye Olde Fire Pit, slow roasting a juicy...marshmallow...over a nice hot fire. Join us for an action packed weekend of jousting and juggling, knights and jesters and a starlit showing of a favorite movie!
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Fall-O-Ween at the Gaylord KOA
Starts: 09/19/2025 - Ends: 09/21/2025
Come enjoy all the sights, smells, sounds, and tastes of FALL at the Gaylord KOA. Decorate your campsite, go trick or treating, walk a spooky or not-so-spooky trail and enjoy a weekend's worth of themed activities!
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Fall-O-Ween at the Gaylord KOA!
Starts: 09/26/2025 - Ends: 09/28/2025
Come enjoy all the sights, smells, sounds, and tastes of FALL at the Gaylord KOA. Decorate your campsite, go trick or treating, walk a spooky or not-so-spooky trail and enjoy a weekend's worth of themed activities!
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Groovy Weekend
Starts: 06/20/2025 - Ends: 06/22/2025
Hey Sunshine! Point your magic bus to the Gaylord KOA and spread only good vibes during our Groovy 70's themed weekend! Create a tie-dye t-shirt to match those wide bell-bottom jeans, make a fab craft, boogie down during our bubble party, roast a marshmallow, make a s'more and settle in for a far out outdoor movie. It's going to be an 'outta sight' weekend. We may have gone too far with the Groovy language, so we'll end with...peace, love and granola.
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Christmas in July!
Starts: 07/25/2025 - Ends: 07/27/2025
It's Christmas at the Gaylord KOA! Cookies and milk, roasting chestnuts....no, actually marshmallows over the fire, pine cone Christmas trees, a "snow" foam party, a sleigh-themed wagon ride and Christmas movie trivia are just a few of the activities Daniel & Victoria have dreamed up for you this July. Come ho-ho-ho your way through a fun weekend in the woods of Northern Michigan!
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Otsego County Fair
Starts: 08/17/2025 - Ends: 08/23/2025
Otsego County Fair for 2025 will be Aug. 17th – Aug. 23rd. A full list of events will be coming on their website, but book your site and check back closer to the event for more details!
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Michaywé Car Show
Starts: 06/01/2025 - Ends: 06/01/2025
There is so much to do in Northern Michigan and this great event happens right next door to the Gaylord KOA! Come see some great classic cars...and motorcycles too!
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Three Free Weekend - Fish, Ride, Boat for FREE in Michigan
Starts: 06/07/2025 - Ends: 06/08/2025
The “Three Free” weekend is the second weekend in June and allows residents and nonresidents to 1.) grab a fishing rod, 2.) ride the off-road trails, and 3.) visit state parks and boating access sites – all free of charge! This is an amazing opportunity to get out and enjoy Northern Michigan and all its lakes and trails. During Free ORV Weekend, Michigan residents and visitors legally can ride without buying an ORV license or trail permit. All other ORV rules and laws still apply. For more information about Free ORV Weekends, visit Michigan.gov/ORVInfo.You can enjoy the outdoors and fish with your family, friends or make it a solo trip!
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Sci-Fi Weekend
Starts: 06/27/2025 - Ends: 06/29/2025
Get ready to power up for a sci-fi weekend at the Gaylord KOA, where robots rule and circuits sizzle! Join the droid brigade for a bubble-blasting party, cosmic crafts, and a warp speed wagon ride through the galazy (well, the campground). Where you're a tiny bot or a full-grown mech, there's fully charged, fun programming for all ages.
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Free Fishing Weekend for Michigan Residents & Non-Residents
Starts: 06/07/2025 - Ends: 06/08/2025
Grab your fishing poles and tackle boxes and head to UpNorth Michigan! Two days twice a year, families and friends can enjoy one of Michigan's premier outdoor activities, Michigan Fishing...or FREE! All fishing license fees will be waived for two days. Residents and out-of-state visitors may enjoy fishing on both inland and Great Lakes' waters for all species of fish. All fishing regulations still apply; however, a Recreation Passport will NOT be required for entry into state parks and boating access sites during Free Fishing Weekends.
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Gus Macker 3 on 3 Tournament
Starts: 06/07/2025 - Ends: 06/08/2025
We are excited that the Gus Macker Tournament is returning to Gaylord for the 4th year in a row! Gus Macker tournaments are designed for basketball players who love the fun of the driveway game – male or female, from age 7 to 70-plus, short and tall, the most experienced or those with little or no experience who just want to play. Teams receive at least three scheduled games each tournament. Gus Macker is a double-elimination tournament, but with a consolation bracket historically called “The Toilet Bowl” for teams that lose the first two games. Family fun, in a festival atmosphere, is always the goal of a Gus Macker Tournament!
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Dinosaur Weekend
Starts: 06/13/2025 - Ends: 06/15/2025
Stomp, chomp, and roar your way through a dino-mite weekend at the Gaylord KOA! Join the prehistoric party with a Dino-Dance-Bubble bash, fossil-digging adventures, and tie-dye t-shirt crafting fit for the fiercest raptors. It's a Jurassic-sized celebration full of rawr-some fun!
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Downtown Gaylord Summer Concert Series
Starts: 05/16/2025 - Ends: 08/15/2025
Gaylord's outdoor summer music series will happen every Friday night (minus Alpenfest weekend) right downtown. These family-friendly events start at 7:00 pm in Claude Shannon Park.
If you think you'll need a break from dancing, don't forget to BYOC (bring your own chair). Drinks and food are available just steps away at Gaylord's downtown locations.
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All About Plants
Starts: 06/22/2025 - Ends: 06/22/2025
Take the family to the Pigeon River Discovery Center for a free workshop to learn about the Pigeon River Country State Forest and build a fun nature-based item to take home. Activities for ages 4 – 12, but all are welcome. No registration required, but supplies are limited. Just 17 minutes north of the Gaylord KOA, the PRC is a wonderful place to spend a few hours or the day!
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Michigan's Raptors
Starts: 07/19/2025 - Ends: 07/19/2025
Head to the Pigeon River Discovery Center and see and learn about Michigan's raptors and their conservation from Skegemog Raptor Center, a non-profit raptor rehabilitation center in northern Michigan. Attendees should expect to see live raptors up close, hear about their adaptations, and learn how to help conserve raptors at home. Just 17 minutes north of the Gaylord KOA, the PRDC is a wonderful place to spend a few hours or the day!
Time:
1pm – 2pm: Kid Friendly
3pm – 4pm: Adult Focused
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Mammal Mania
Starts: 06/08/2025 - Ends: 06/08/2025
Take the family to the Pigeon River Discovery Center for a free workshop to learn about the Pigeon River Country State Forest and build a fun nature-based item to take home. Activities for ages 4 – 12, but all are welcome. No registration required, but supplies are limited. Just 17 minutes north of the Gaylord KOA, the PRC is a wonderful place to spend a few hours or the day!
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Feathered Friends Youth Program
Starts: 07/27/2025 - Ends: 07/27/2025
Take the family to the Pigeon River Discovery Center for a free workshop to learn about the Pigeon River Country State Forest and build a fun nature-based item to take home. Activities for ages 4 – 12, but all are welcome. No registration required, but supplies are limited. Just 17 minutes north of the Gaylord KOA, the PRC is a wonderful place to spend a few hours or the day!
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Turtle Time
Starts: 08/03/2025 - Ends: 08/03/2025
Take the family to the Pigeon River Discovery Center for a free workshop to learn about the Pigeon River Country State Forest and build a fun nature-based item to take home. Activities for ages 4 – 12, but all are welcome. No registration required, but supplies are limited. Just 17 minutes north of the Gaylord KOA, the PRC is a wonderful place to spend a few hours or the day!
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Mushroom Foray
Starts: 08/30/2025 - Ends: 08/30/2025
Head to the Pigeon River Country Discovery Center and join Dianne Farner of HeadWater's Land Conservancy, for a mushroom identification tour in the PRC. This event will start with a presentation about different types of mushrooms, followed by a hike where you can put your mushroom finding skills to practice! Dress for the weather, with sturdy footwear. This program is family-friendly! Registration is required for this event.
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Painting, Poetry, and Nature
Starts: 09/12/2025 - Ends: 09/12/2025
Head to Pigeon River Country Discovery Center for a cozy autumn evening of nature-inspired art, with warm drinks and cookies! Local artist Mary Backlund will help you get in touch with your creative side during this relaxing workshop at the Discovery Center. Get inspired through a poetry reading, then create your own nature-themed painting to take home. Everyone is an artist, especially using nature as your muse! Families welcome, recommended age 8+. Registration is required for this event.
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Native Seed Collection
Starts: 09/13/2025 - Ends: 09/13/2025
Head to the Pigeon River Country Discovery Center and assist with PRC conservation efforts in this hands-on workshop! This event starts at the Discovery Center, where you'll learn about why native seed collection is crucial for the restoration of native grasslands. Then we'll head out to the field to gather seeds, so dress for the weather with sturdy, water-resistant footwear and bring a water bottle and snacks. Native seed guides will be provided. Registration is required for this event.
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Feathered Friends Youth Program
Starts: 09/07/2025 - Ends: 09/07/2025
Take the family to the Pigeon River Discovery Center for a free workshop to learn about the Pigeon River Country State Forest and build a fun nature-based item to take home. Activities for ages 4 – 12, but all are welcome. No registration required, but supplies are limited. Just 17 minutes north of the Gaylord KOA, the PRC is a wonderful place to spend a few hours or the day!
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An Exploration of the Night Sky in Science and Myth
Starts: 08/27/2025 - Ends: 08/27/2025
Head to the Pigeon River Country Discovery Center and enjoy an evening spent under starry skies with historical and scientific explanations of the stellar vista seen above. Join Historian Mary Stewart Adams for a riotous ride through the ages, following Odysseus through the stars and imaginations of some of history's most well-known figures, including Homer, Dante, Tennyson, TS Eliot, and even Bob Dylan. All ages welcome. Star maps will be provided. Participants should bring a camp chair, a water bottle, and dress for the weather. Registration is required for this event.
